STARKVILLE — The lessons came with a price.
As point guards, Katia May and Jerica James had the toughest jobs adjusting to the demands of Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer. Not only did the “Secretary of Defense” want his point guard to harass their counterparts everywhere on the court, he also wanted them to be almost flawless running the offense.
With former point guard Aqua Franklin on hand as an assistant coach, Schaefer had a double-barreled way to indoctrinate May and James into his way of doing things. When things didn’t go his way, May, James, and any other player were sent off to run “Mount Schaefer”, or the stadium steps inside Humphrey Coliseum.
Those lessons continued throughout a 13-17 season filled with ups and downs. Statistically, there were plenty more teaching moments than highlights, as MSU had 603 turnovers and 334 assists. The turnovers were 13th in the 14-team Southeastern Conference, while the assists ranked last in the league.
Schaefer hopes May, a 5-foot-2 senior, and James, a 5-5 junior, have learned their lessons and are ready to take better care of the basketball as MSU kicks off its season at 5:30 p.m. today at Houston at Hofheinz Pavilion. The game can be heard on 106.1 WMXU and online to HailStateTV subscribers at www.hailstate.com/hstvlive.
“I don’t think there is any question they have to play well for us to have a chance to win every night,” Schaefer said Wednesday as the team’s media day. “That just comes with being the point guard at Mississippi State University in this conference. You have to have great point guard play.”
Schaefer was especially pleased with the fact May and James combined for 10 assists and only one turnover Monday in a 75-44 victory against Shorter in an exhibition game at Humphrey Coliseum. Schaefer made a point to say that is the first time that has happened since he has been at MSU. Still, MSU finished with more turnovers (16) than assists (13). This season, MSU will try to finish with more assists than turnovers for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. May and James feel they will be better equipped to handle the expectations of Schaefer and Franklin with a little more than a year in the system.
“The expectations are the same and now at a higher intensity level,” said James, who had 62 assists and 71 turnovers last season. “It is being able to learn from last year and putting the things we learned into perfection.
“We know not to turn it over. In the previous game, we only had one between us two. That is pretty good. That is one of the ways to lead your team.”
James, who came off the bench against Shorter, said the starting assignments could change from game to game or based on opponent. She said she and May could find out as late as shootaround who will get the starting nod for that game. Part of that determination will be based on which guard does a better job of balancing a fine line between being aggressive and picking the right spots on offense. On defense, there is no leeway. Schaefer expects May and James to set the tone with ball pressure.
“You don’t want to play too careful,” James said. “You want to be free and enjoy it but you also have to make good decisions.”
May edged James in scoring (3.2 points per game to 3.0) last season. She also paced the team in assists (95), but she also had 126 turnovers. Brittany Young (eight assists to three turnovers) was the only player on the roster last season with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio.
May hopes to change her numbers and the team’s final tallies by being more of a vocal leader. She understands that kind of leadership will be key with three, possibly four, freshmen playing key roles and a junior college transfer — guard Savannah Carter — in the rotation.
“He expects us to be vocal, of course, and to lead our team,” May said. “He feels it starts with us and it should end with us. There shouldn’t be any second-guessing or questions. The other players should do what we say without any issues.”
May said Schaefer has expressed to her and to James that he feels the team doesn’t have a strong chance of winning if they turn the ball over. She said his goal is for them to have three or fewer turnovers in each game. While that may seem like a small margin for error, May said those expectations come with playing the position.
Carter played point guard in high school and as a freshman at Grambling before moving off the ball at Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College. She has been impressed with what she has seen from James and May in her short time with the program.
“They bring a lot of leadership to the team as far as running the team,” Carter said. “They have taught me a lot about being at the point guard position.”
Schaefer hopes James and May can convey the things they have learned to the rest of the team. He feels May’s quickness and ability to pressure the ball and James’ “cerebral” nature to the game complement each other. He also hopes the lessons James and May learned last season will enable them to help the younger players learn the same things.
NOTE: MSU will start the season on the road for the first time since 2003, a game also played in the state of Texas against Baylor. The Bulldogs are 27-12 all-time in season openers, including nine-straight victories. … MSU will play host to Jackson State at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Humphrey Coliseum.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.